Cherish
by B Cardoso
Summary: Five scenes of a progressing love something wanted, desired and achieved. Inspired on the song “Cherish”. Fluffy. Lit. Oneshot


Title: Cherish

Author: Bru Cardoso

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Characters based on Gilmore Girls and story inspired on the song "Cherish" by Maddona (but I heard it being sang by Renato Russo)

Summary: Five scenes of a progressing love - something wanted, desired and achieved. Inspired on the song "Cherish". Fluffy. Lit One-shot

A/N: Something that came to me while listening to this song. Parts in italic were borrowed from the song. To those who are reading "Sex or Love", I'm working on it and it should be up soon. Huge thanks to **ginnyclone** for the beta. And please, review

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**Cherish**

Jess impatiently waited on line to order his coffee, tapping his foot against the hardwood floor. He looked at his watch for the hundredth time and cursed under his breath; if the universe didn't start conspiring for his benefit right now, he would be late to work. Finally the redhead on the register asked for his order.

"A large cappuccino, please."

"Coming right up; just take a step to the side, please. Next!" she called another for another customer.

A couple of minutes later he sipped his cappuccino and started heading to the door. He thought he saw her. He was frozen at the spot for a moment, but then he looked back at the table by the window and took a few steps until he reached it.

"Rory?" he asked, uncertain.

She gasped as if she saw a ghost, "Jess?" She looked around, as if to confirm it was all really happening. "What are you doing here?" she asked, blushing.

"I could ask you the same question," he smirked.

"Right. I'm here to cover a story. But now it's done, so I'm going home."

"Well, and I live here."

She smiled and nodded, "You really are a true New Yorker."

He shrugged proudly before becoming serious, "When do you leave?"

She looked down, not really sure why she didn't want to answer that question, "This evening."

He also looked down, "Huh." He looked at his watch, sighing and then at her. "But your work is done, right? You're free for the afternoon."

She nodded, "Yeah."

"Okay," he said and took his cell phone from his back pocket dialing speed dial.

"What-" she opened her mouth to start the question but he interrupted her, holding his hand up, asking for a moment. She closed her mouth and leaned back on her chair.

"Hey, man! Look, I don't feel too good. I think I've got the flu or something. It feels like a trunk ran over me… Yeah, I can't go to work; sorry. I know… I think I'll be able to go tomorrow. Okay. Bye." He hung up and she stared at him.

"Why did you do that for?"

"Well, I still can't manage to be in two places at the same time, so…"

"You called in sick to spend the afternoon with me?"

"Yeah, so…?"

"Jess, we haven't talked for years and suddenly you bump into me and decide to skip work to spend the afternoon with me? Why?"

He looked at her eyes, seriously, "You know why."

"Jess…" she sighed.

"Hey, I'm not asking you anything. I'm just... _I'm taking a chance. I'm telling you, I want more than just romance. _Will you let me try?" he asked, still locking eyes with her. He was serious and she could see that. Maybe that was the right time for them to be together; maybe not. But there was only one way to find out.

She stood up, taking her purse with her and kissed his cheek before walking to the door. He followed her out.

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The Gilmore's door was thrown open and Rory ran awkwardly through the front yard, despite the pouring rain. Jess was just a few feet behind her, also ignoring the storm and the cold wind, screaming after her. "Rory! Can you just stop for a second?"

She looked back for a moment just to yell back, "No!"

"Come on, Rory! Be rational! Where do you think you are going in Stars Hollow, at this late at night? Especially with weather like this?"

She stopped running for a second, considering what he was saying. At her slowing down he got closer and pleaded in a lower, soothing voice, "Just... talk to me."

She turned around, suddenly; her rage back in full force, "Okay, you wanna talk? Fine, let's talk! Why are you being such a jerk?"

"What did I do?" he asked, annoyed at her child-ish behavior.

"Exactly!" she pointed at him accusingly. "It's about what you didn't do!"

"Okay, you lost it!" he said, irritated.

"Jess, I just told you they offered me a position as a international correspondent and all you said was 'Congratulations'!" she screamed even louder.

"It's your dream job! Before I got to date you when we were still teenagers, I already knew you wanted to be an overseas correspondent! And now you got it! Of course I'm happy for you! I though you wanted me to be happy for you!"

"Oh, yeah? And what about us?"

"What about it?" he asked, still confused.

"What will happen when I have to spend months away, in a country 10 000 miles from here? Won't you miss me? Won't you get jealous? Won't you find someone else?" she asked, her voice wavering and the tears in her eyes just about to fall.

He smirked and sighed, finally realizing what it is all about. "You're scared about us breaking up because of your job?"

"Well... you could show some concern yourself; maybe ask me not to go. It's like you don't really care about it!"

In a blink, his face became completely serious and he closed the gap between them. He put his hand on her cheek and made her look at him, "Don't you think that for even a moment. I can't and I won't ask you to give up on one of your biggest dreams. But you're right, I'm not worried about you taking the job."

She looked at him strangely and furrowed her eyebrows, thinking he was breaking up with her. But before she could say anything he continued, _"You are my destiny. I can't let you go; baby, can't you see?"_ He looked down shyly. "You are **it** for me. We'll figure something out."

She jumped and hugged him, sighing in relief, "I love you."

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"Oh my God! What's happening? Are you sick? Is all the coffee in the world gone? Is it the apocalypse?" she asked, over dramatizing.

"Ha ha. Real funny," he answered sarcastically.

She sits on the couch besides him with a smile on her face, "I'm sorry, but you reading Shakespeare could be considered a sign of the end of the world."

"Well, his stuff isn't half bad, but I still think he is overrated."

She looked at him, still disbelieving. "He wrote all classics! Hamlet, Dreams of a Summer Night, Romeo & Juliet..."

"All he wrote was crazy drama, crazy comedies or foolish romances."

"Blasphemy," she yelled, offended. He smirked.

"Okay, let's take Romeo & Juliet for example. He simply wrote an overdramatic romance about too extremely horny teenagers who barely knew each other and ended up killing themselves for what is supposed to be love."

She stared at him for a moment, surprised by his logic and surprised by his coldness and lack of faith in love.

"Do you think we're like them? I mean, we were teenagers... And then when we met again things happened so fast..." she questioned, worried.

He chuckled and shook his head, taking her hand and holding it against his heart.

She looked up at him and he sighed,_ "Romeo & Juliet... they never felt this way; I bet. So don't underestimate me." _

She smiled happily and leaned forward to kiss him. Holding his head with a hand, she took his other hand and held it against her heart, "I don't."

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She threw her bare leg against one of his, "Say something nice to me."

He looked at the ceiling for a second, then back at her, "I like your lips…they are very useful."

"What? I turn down the offer to be an international correspondent for this" she said, pointing between them, "and all I get is that?"

"Hey, I told you that you should go and live your dream," he defended himself.

"There was something I wanted here. Besides, it wasn't my dream anymore; this is."

He smiled and got closer to her on their bed, running his hands through her hair.

"Say something nice to me," she asked again.

"I love you."

She made a face; he furrowed his eyebrows. "Don't you love me?"

"Love is so overused that it has lost its meaning. I want something personal."

"Well, you are the one who read a dictionary; you find a word."

"I care for you?" she tried and makes a face at the sound of it.

"It sounds friendly and unimportant," he stated, but let her choose.

She nodded. "I admire you."

"You are not my boss."

"I deify you."

"You're not a Goddess."

She stared and pouted.

"I love you, but Goddess? Nope."

"So, I guess worship is out of question?"

"You guessed right. I'm not gonna make any altar for you. It goes with the 'not being a Goddess idea'."

She smirked, "Glorify?"

He raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

She shrugged, "I had to try."

"Like?" she asked, not really liking the word.

He shook his head again, "It's much more than that."

"I long for you?" she smiled.

"Sounds a bit desperate, doesn't it?"

"Cherish?"

He was silent for a moment, thinking, "Okay, cherish."

"Good! Finally we have a word."

"Okay, now can we go back to the real fun?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Uhm... I think I'll go take a shower," she said, almost leaving the bed. But he reached for her and pulled her back down. She yelped in surprise and he kissed her.

She moved to leave again, but he trapped her in his arms, tickling her.

She laughed uncontrollably, but managed to scream between laughs, "I want to go!"

He smiled and kept tickling her, _"Who? You? Can't get away, I won't let you!" _

Knowing he was serious she gave in, "Okay, I surrender."

He immediately stopped and laid on his side, mirroring her. They silently looked at each other, memorizing everything about one another. He moved forward and kissed her forehead, then her lips. It was a chaste kiss, just a touch of lips, but for some reason it feels different, magic.

"Will you always remember this? Remember me?"

He smiled at her, _"Who? You? I could never forget you!"_

She reached out and ran a hand down his face before tracing his lips with her fingertips, "So... cherish..."

"I cherish you," he told her, finally satisfying her with what she wanted to hear.

She grinned from ear to ear and moved closer, snuggling into him.

He breathed into her hair and sighed before whispering in her ear, "From now on _cherish is the word I use to remind me of your love_."

She just holds him tighter.

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He walked her down the aisle slowly. His hands trembled as he held her white-gloved arm.

She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "You are doing fine," she whispered with a smile.

He returned her smile with a wavering one. As they get closer he whisperd, "Are you sure about this? 'Cos we can always call it off... You don't have to-"

She cut him off and turned to him as they reached their destination, "Luke, I want to."

He sighed, "Fine."

He turned to Jess and threatened him in a lower tone, "You hurt her, and I kill you. Painfully. I swear to God, Jess. If you screw this up..."

Jess smirked, "Believe in whatever makes you sleep at night, Uncle Luke. Now, do you mind? I'm trying to get married here."

"Jess..." he started in a warning tone, but stopped when Lorelai hissed his name,

"Luke?" He looked at her, and then around, realizing everyone - including the priest - is waiting for him to take his place and let the couple get married.

He looked at the priest apologetically. "Sorry," he murmured before going to stand next to Lorelai.

Jess turned to Rory and lifted the thin white veil that covered her face. He smiled, "Hey, you."

"You did that on purpose," she playfully accused.

"He makes it so easy..." He looked her in the eye, getting more serious, "You ready to get this done with?"

She bit her lip, "Are you?"

"Been for a long time now."

She grinned at him, "Yeah, me too."

They turn to the altar, and with a bit of sarcasm he said to the priest, "You can start now."

She nudged his side with her elbow; "Be nice to the priest," she berated him.

He playfully rolled his eyes, but smiled and the priest started his speech.

"We are here together to celebrate the union between Rory and Jess..."

"You may say your vows," the priest told them.

Rory started, "Before Jess _I was never satisfied with casual encounters_, but I could never find something true. It was never enough; there was always something missing, I just never knew what it was. But now it's like it all fits; like I have finally found the last piece of my puzzle. And now I'm starting this new game, and I'm so excited and scared... because this time I won't be alone. This time we'll be together, and I hope to always have him by my side, playing with me."

There were many 'ahhhh's and 'ohhhh's in the crowd and she smirked before looking at him. He looked at her, baffled and whispered, "I thought we agreed we weren't gonna go all emotional. How am I gonna read my vows now?"

Her smirk grew. "Try to beat that," she challenged.

He smirked smugly and whispered, "Watch and learn." He cleared his throat, "Rory knows I'm not much good at this, so I'll be short. What we are doing here? It's simple. We're just announcing what we already know we have: _two hearts that bleed with burning love. That's the way it's got to be._ That's how it is for us, and I truly believe it'll always be."

He looked around and find a few women - including Lorelai - wiping their eyes and saying things like 'how sweet' and 'Oh my God, did you hear that?'.

Rory turned to him and glared, "You cheated!"

"You also cheated! You wrote something you thought I couldn't overdo!"

"Well, look at this crowd. You've beaten me."

He smiled, "Well, at least it's true."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

She leaned forwards and kissed him.

"It's not the moment to kiss the bride - or the groom - yet," the priest said softly and awkwardly.

Jess glanced at him and smirked, "Yes, it is," he said before going back to kissing her.


End file.
